Cable-terminal-plug retainer.



E. A. HAWTHORNE.

CABLE TERMINAL PLUG RETAINER. APPLICATION FILED mu: 22. 1914.

Witnes Se Inventor: 4 WV! 6W E sworthflllawihoine, (760mm Q WM b /L1 MV/ therethrough, the bolt therefore serving to clamp the support to thebracket, as well as to secure the retainer to the support. It will now,be evident that the retainer prevents the plug from dropping out of thesocket member or lamp connection, and owing to itshemisphericallyrecessed form maintains it in axial alinement with the socket memberwhen partially withdrawn therefrom, as shown in Fig. 3,v as well asacting to sustain the plug in case of any sudden shock or stress on thecable tending to detach the plug from the socket member connection. Inconnections of this sort, the spring 7 pressed pin is provided withmeans to limit its-outward movement so that when such limitis' reachedand further outward movement of the plugtakes place, the terminal 11will separate from the spring pressed pin 8 and interrupt'the circuit(see Fig. 3). The retainer permits such disconnection to be elfected andthe plug thus constituted a switch whereby the connection may becompleted and interrupted at will without an actual disconnection of theplug from its socket. vBy this simple expedient a convenient and easilymanipulated switch is provided while still permitting the plug toperform its usual function of affording a means for wholly disconnectingthe cable from the lamp.

While I have herein shown and described one specific embodiment of myinvention for illustrative purposes, and have disclosed and discussed indetail the construction and arrangement'incidental to one specificapplication thereof, it is to be understood that the invention islimitedneither to the more details or relative arrangement of parts, norto its specific embodiment herein shown, but that extensive deviationsfrom the illustrated form or embodiment of the invention may be made,without departing from the principles thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by LettersPatent to procure is 1-- 1. The combination of a cable; a pair ofcooperating disconnectible members one of which is attached to saidcable, said members having means for causing their connection inoperative relation to each other; a support to which, one of saidmembers is secured; and means attached to said support independently ofboth members and permitting a limited relative movement of one memberwith relation to the other while preventing such member from becomingdetached from said support.

2. The combination of a cable; a cable terminal plug attached thereto;a. socket member to receive said plug; a support for said socket member;and a plug-retainer secured to said support independently of saidsocket.

3. The combination of a cable; a cable terminal plug attached thereto; asocket member to receive said plug; a support for said socket member;and a plug-retainer secured to said support and disposed so that it isnormally out of engagement with said plug but prevents unintentionalescape of said plug from said socket member.

4. The combination of a cable; a cable terminal plug attached thereto; asocket member to receive said plug; said parts being provided withterminals one of which is normally spring-pressed against the other;said parts having means providing for separation of saidterminals byrelative axial movement; and means providing for limited separatingmovement of said terminals while having provision to prevent accidentalwithdrawal of said plug from.

said socket member in all relative positions of said parts. 7

5. The combination of a cable; a cable terminal plug attached thereto; asocket member to receive said plug; a support on which said socketmember is mounted; and means secured to said support beyond the outerend' of said plug to prevent its accidental withdrawal therefrom.

6. The combination with a cable; of a cable terminal plug attachedthereto; a socket member to receive said plug; a support on which saidsocket member is mounted; and a plug retainer secured to said supportand provided with an aperture through which said cable extends.

7. The combination with a cable; of a cable terminal plug attachedthereto; a socket member to receive said plug; a support on which saidsocket member is mounted; a plug retainer provided with an aperturethrough which said cable extends; and means adjustably to secure saidplug retainer to said support.

8. The combination with a cable; of a cable terminal plug attachedthereto; a socket member to receive said plug; a support on which saidsocket member is mounted; a plug retainer provided with an aperturethrough which said cable extends, said retainer being provided with lugsembracing said support and a perforation intermediate said lugs; and afastening member extending through said perforation and securing saidretainer to said support.

9. A switch comprising, in combination, a pair of members havingterminals and means for causing their connection in operative relationto each other by axial and turning movement of said members; yieldingmeans tending to move one of said memrelative positions of angular orturning movement of one member on the other for limiting the movement ofsuch member under the influence of said yielding means.

- 10. The combination of a cable; a cable terminal plug attachedthereto; a socket member to receive said plug; said socket member andplug having cooperating nor-' mally engaged terminals and having alsocooperating means normally locking them against relative axial movement,but permitting one to be turned relatively to the other and then movedaxially to separate said terminals; and means to permit of such axialmovement to a limited extent While preventing total separation of saidsocket Gopies of this patent may be obtained {or five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

and said socket member being provided with a bayonet slot having acircumferentially extending portion normally receiving said part andlocking said plug and socket against relative axial movement, said slothaving also a longitudinally extending portion permitting axial movementof said' part When turned from said circumferentially extending portioninto said longitudinally extending portion thereby to permit Iseparation of saidterminals; and means at all times to permit of suchseparation of ELLSWORTH A. HAWTHORNE,

Witnesses: j

E. ,HORAOE HAWTHORNE, ANUsA. KAUROsKY, E; STEWART HAWTHORNE.

Washington, D. G. s

